Canada's population declined by 102,436 people in 2025, marking the first time in over 150 years that the country has seen a population decrease. According to preliminary data from Statistics Canada, the fall in numbers was primarily driven by lower intake of non-permanent residents, including international students and temporary workers.
The reduction in population was due to a decrease in population seen in the third and fourth quarters of 2025, with the number of non-permanent residents in Canada decreasing by 171,296 in the last quarter. The number of non-permanent residents living in Canada steadily decreased from 3,149,131 on October 1, 2024, to 2,676,441 on January 1, 2026.
The decline in immigrants from India was a significant factor in the decrease, with their numbers going down from 127,375 to 98,770. Study permits issued also dropped by nearly 25%, with Indians accounting for 72% of that fall.
